Leadamalgam is a rare mercury lead mineral, typically silver-white. It occurs in a mercury deposit. It was first described from Shiaonanshan, Inner Mongolia, China.
Is this leadamalgam?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch leadamalgam with a known reference. Leadamalgam sits at Mohs 1.6, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: silver-white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: strong metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: silver white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: massive, granular, or small grains.
Often confused with
Leadamalgam vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Native Silver is the harder of the two (Mohs 2.5-3 vs. 1.6); luster reads strong metallic on Leadamalgam and metallic on Native Silver.
How to tell apart: Leadamalgam is noticeably harder (Mohs 1.6 vs. 0); luster reads strong metallic on Leadamalgam and metallic, brilliant on Native Mercury.
How to tell apart: Stibiopalladinite is the harder of the two (Mohs 4-5 vs. 1.6); streak differs, so Leadamalgam leaves silver-white, Stibiopalladinite leaves black; luster reads strong metallic on Leadamalgam and metallic on Stibiopalladinite.
Often found alongside leadamalgam
Minerals reported to co-occur with leadamalgam. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- HgPb₂
- Mohs hardness
- 1.6
- Density
- 11.96 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Silver-white
- Luster
- Strong metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive, granular, or small grains
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In heavy concentrates of crushed ores from a platinum-bearing Cu–Ni sulfide deposit
Where rockhounds find leadamalgam
Classic worldwide localities
- Shiaonanshan, Inner Mongolia, China (type locality)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In heavy concentrates of crushed ores from a platinum-bearing Cu–Ni sulfide deposit. If you start seeing gersdorffite, pyrite, chalcopyrite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive, granular, or small grains. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find leadamalgam on the map
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